"It does not take a majority to prevail ... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." --Samuel Adams

Many more comments from new subscribers this week including one wondering if the FBI is keeping tabs on me since I am so direct in my disgust with government...you never know but keep in mind, I never advocate violence.

Apparently many are finding the Poor Man YouTube movies and signing up as fans...we're already seeing comments on Facebook and other sites....

Bill Clinton once said: "It's not acceptable for an American to love his country and not respect its government."

What strange logic! Of course you can love your country and dislike the government that runs it, that's what a democracy is all about !

Like Thomas Paine and other Patriots of the Revolution, I consider myself more a pamphleteer, something the founders often did anonymously. Unlike them however, I do not advocate the overthrow of the government but rather a return to what made this country great...a small government that didn't interject itself into every aspect of our lives; one the respects the Bill of Rights.

When I attended journalism school there were more than 200 media firms in this country but we're down to five major, mega-corporations which rule and the media has gone from watchdog to lapdog, serving up their corporate masters.

That's one of the reasons the internet has become so popular, though filled with mis-information, it has become a valuable tool and often reports corporate and political shenanigans before mainstream media can blink.
September 17th is Constitution Day, something many in Congress have forgotten about. Check out a new book and website that offers a game plan for restoring a Constitutional government at: http://restorethebalance.us

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I invite you to read the Charlie Rose's farewell article below sent to us by subscriber Jim to see why I feel patriotic, but why I find Washington's lack of feeling for the common person so terrible. It also makes me recall the three boxes of freedom:

•The Soap Box

•The Ballot Box

•The Ammo Box

As I mentioned last week, September is also National Preparedness Month and you will find loads of useful resources on our site under the Citizen Preparedness section. I was looking through the new Emergency Essentials catalog and they feature a variety of books on getting prepared – all in the $12.95-$18.95 range plus shipping...nothing wrong with that but it reminds me of what a bargain the Poor Man CDs are at only $4.95 and they contain two to five times as much information! Our Poor Man III has over 270 files alone. We offer the largest amount of info on the net at the best price and consistently receive positive feedback on eBay and from our site.

I just started reading Jim Marrs book Trillion Dollar Conspiracy: how the new world order, man-made diseases, and zombie banks are destroying America.

I've read some of his other books including Rule by Secrecy and feel his work is always well researched and dovetails my own. Of course, all of us enjoy it when someone else provides additional veracity for our material...get your own copy today.

"I never let schooling interfere with my education"

--Mark Twain

This Week's Resource Roundup & Money Saving Tips

Go to the Crime Doctor for personal safety videos-free

www.crimedoctor.com

NOTE: Many have used the Poor Man's Guide to Home Defense CD which sells for only $4.95+$2.25 shipping – or save on shipping by getting the download link. Available at our site using PayPal or by emailing Poormansurvivor@gmail.com

Get Free Medical Care

A week in the IC unit once cost me $165,000 and I didn't have insurance so I wish I had known about these resources then...you can qualify for assistance even if your income is double the poverty level or if your account has been turned over for collection. Try these:

www.hrsa.gov/hillburton/compliance-recovery.htm or call 800-638-0742

National Inst. Of Health (medical research you may qualify for)

www.cc.nih.gov or call 800-411-1222

DIY Animal Repellent Spray

Probably not good to mix around young children as hot pepper sauce is the main ingredient. Effective against cats, dogs, mice, rabbits, and deer. You can use spreader to apply.

--Driving less could save you anywhere from 5%-15%...call your insurer and ask. Also, consider dropping coverage to liability only if your car is worth less than $3500 or so. If you're retired and drive less, ask for a better rate and...never drop coverage if you're, for instance, out of the country for several months. Insurers look at your coverage history (among a dozen other things) so if coverage lapses it could cost you more to get insurance again. If you don't need coverage for an extended period of time, drop it to liability only.

Finally, if you can, pay your premium annually or semi-annually which often reflect a savings over $2 a month billing fees!

Thinking of a new, 'greener' vehicle?

Consider getting a diesel which are considered greener than hybrids. Modern diesels that run on low sulfur fuel are very clean and get nearly the same mileage AND they don't require disposal of non-recyclable battery packs...also, they're dependable and more easily serviced.

Quick n Easy Portable Root Cellar

Although we were mighty pleased with our first year garden, one crop failed and it looked as if it were due to some kind of fungus – our corn was crap...everything else was great...here's an easy way to make a portable root cellar.

Store your carrots, for instance, in an unglazed flower pot filled with clean sand. Cover the roots, and pick them out as you need them and keep the pot in a dry, cool, dark spot. We'll be experimenting with a larger garden in the coming year with the log house area.

Saving money with junk mail.

This is an easy one, even for those not accustomed to negotiating. When you get coupon mailers or other advertisements in your mailbox, check out offers made by competitors for such services as cell phones, TV, etc. When a better deal arrives, call your current provider and read them the offer – many will match or beat that deal!

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Charlie's Farewell Address to the American People
The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations
and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? Nancy Pelosi. She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow House members, not the President,
can approve any budget they want. If the President vetoes it, they can
pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that
what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red ..

If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan it's
because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan...

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement
plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they
hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice
they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from
whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the
belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy,"
"inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what
they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power..
They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.

Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees...
We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.
---thanks for submitting this Jim!

The late, great comedian George Carlin once said, "I have certain rules I live by. My first rule: I don't believe anything the government tells me."

Nowhere is America's obesity epidemic more apparent than in our own government. We've already pointed out the decade-long trend in public sector job growth, but the underpinnings of that growth go beyond the simple addition of more jobs; it's indicative of the burgeoning infrastructure of government itself.

We examined the U.S. Census Bureau's "Census of Governments," which is conducted every five years and counts the number of "governments" in the country (federal, state, local). In total, it identified 89,527 governments in its latest published census from 2007 (the 2012 census has not yet been conducted). Keep in mind that our federal government accounts for "1" of these governments and our 50 state governments account for another "50" of this number. The huge remainder represents counties, municipalities, towns/townships, special districts and school districts. We found that in the decade from 1992 to 2002, the number of "governments" rose from 85,006 to 87,576, an increase of 2,570 entities requiring staffing and, of course, taxpayer support. Then in just half that time, from 2002 to 2007, the government count rose by another 1,951 entities! For more of the story, go to:

In today's shattered economy, there has never been a better time to emulate the Amish a bit more...the Poor Man has written extensively about the Amish in previous issues. Ironically, we're working with an Amish carpenter to construct our cabin foundation.

•Food preservation. To survive in a crisis, you may need your food to last as long as possible. Canning can preserve your food for up to a year or more. Basic fruit canning is so simple that all you need are vacuum jars (like those glass ones you see in your grocery store) and a big pot. Low-acid foods, such as meats, fish, and vegetables, need to be prepared in a pressure canner like one sold by Lehman's which comes with a 100% bacteria-kill guarantee. Make sure you store all canned foods in a dark, damp location, such as a basement.

•Illumination. One of the first things you'll need in any emergency is light. The Amish have many traditional solutions such as a Roman-type olive oil jar-lamp, and a Victorian kerosene lamp. But they also use solar-power (remember they're not anti-science, they're just anti dependence). If you're using gas or oil – be careful! There's always a spike in house fires during a power outage. You can even obtain a solar-powered attic fan – a boon if your house loses air conditioning during a summer storm or power outage!

•Water. One of your biggest survival problems will be finding clean water. Then you have to ask the question: Do you purify or filter? Fortunately you can find items to meet all your needs (including how to sink a pump in your yard!) For on the move, or short-term needs, try emergency water purification tablets. Each one cleanses a quart of water and takes only four hours to work its magic. Colloidal Silver Generators are also fantastic for purifying water. NASA even uses silver to purify spacecraft systems!

•Composting toilet. If water shortages become more widespread, you'll need a safe and clean way to go to the bathroom. A composting toilet is the perfect way to go. (Make sure you keep a fan nearby to provide a good draft as well.) For emergency, non-permanent use, you can obtain a portable toilet that works with plastic sacks and sanitary gel. (It's also useful for camping and RV trips.)

•Gas refrigerator/freezer. This is a great alternative to electricity for storing food and drink. The Amish use versions powered by either gas or kerosene. (Make sure you stock up on wicks.) .

Tip: Another essential emergency tool you should consider is a treadle (pedal) sewing machine. Not only is it useful for your own needs – it could even provide a source of barter/income in a pinch.)

•Laundry. A hand washer is a great way to get your clothes clean without electric power. Some even have a wringer to squeeze excess water from the fabric and speed up drying time.

Tip: Consider getting some clothesline and clothespins for the drying process as well.

•Coffee. You're going to need a pick me up, but forget the electric grinder – you're going old school. Hand-cranked items like a coffee mill (and grain mill for making your own bread), ice-cream maker, butter churner, and even a hand-wound clock will make difficult days when you're literally powerless, much, much nicer.

I urge you to consider the items above. Perhaps you can share the costs with neighbors of like mind? Just like the Amish, preparedness and pulling together may be key to our survival in the coming years.

Take a look and begin familiarizing yourself with these options at the Amish informational shopping website: http://www.lehmans.com

Parting Shots...We need a working press

Due to a little known, unpublicized quirk in the law dating to 2006, the IRS may revoke the nonprofit status of nearly one in five organizations this week...if they hadn't filed an 8-question 'postcard' return. The exception would be churches but this stupid law affects nearly everyone else from 4-H groups to Amvets.

It used to be those groups with less than $25,000 in revenues would not be affected but that changed too as the IRS wants more information from these organizations. (The Poor Man sits on the board of a not-for-profit group which was not affected).

Most groups claim they've never heard of this new requirement despite the IRS mailing of more than 650,000 notices. I see two problems with this government crap.

•Where was the mainstream press on all of this? Have they relinquished their role as a watchdog of government? Of course they have. The media in this country is now owned by only five corporations...when I taught marketing at CSU that number was over 150 so it's apparent profits of corporate/Washington masters is the only thing that matters.

•Who comes up with these invasive, stupid laws and rules? Why aren't these people properly identified to the public so they my be properly vilified? The one exception was the MN Congressman who came up with the idiotic No Tobacco to Military law...his site has been swamped with angry emails to the point where he cut all contact off with non-residents.

No person or entity can logically keep up with the massive amount of laws and rules created each week at the federal and state level making everyone a lawbreaker of some sort and I believe that is what they want.

A reader sent me this thought upon hearing of the pullout of troops in Iraq...."The fighting for US troops isn't truly over with. After all, we still have 50,000 there...but the rest will probably be deployed to Iran as global sentiment builds to attack that country. All middle eastern & Gulf leaders want Iran taken out of the nuclear arms business & they know sanctions won't work."

Thanks Paul for your input and nothing would surprise me...basic military practice is to plan for all scenarios.

Finally, as I've been saying for some time, feebay has some expensive and nutty policies so I finally launched my Amazon account and sold a book within 24-hours. The entire process was mighty easy and there are no upfront listing fees. At one point, the Poor Man had over 10,000 books to in his personal library and through donations and sales, that number has been whittled down quite a bit and just in time...as of 2011 the IRS will stick its far-reaching nose into your business even further. Anyone who has sales exceeding $20,000 or more than 200 transactions in a single year will see PayPal providing that info to the feds...you need to practice what the Romans called "cervuslacessitus leo," or the stag at bay becomes a lion.